Hospital patient lift attachment



March 21, 1961 BUTLER r 2,975,434

HOSPITAL PATIENT LIFT ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1958 FREDERICK M. BUTLER JULE T. BUTLER INVENTOR. 9 M

March 21, 1961 BUTLER ETAL 2,975,434

HOSPITAL PATIENT LIFT ATTACHMENT Filed June 50, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FREDERICK M. BUTLER JULE T. BUTLER INVENTOR.

HOSPITAL PATIENT LIFT ATTACHMENT Frederick M. Bufler, 1009 Washington Ni, and Jule T. Butler,'629 S. Cedar St., both of Centralia, Wash.

Filed June 30, 1958, Ser. No. 745,729

4 Claims. (Cl. -86) This present invention relates to a means for raising a patient from a hospital bed and is for use with the type of hospital bed lifts currently in use in hospitals. This present lift attachment differs from the more conventional types in that two pairs of coacting patient engaging members are used so that the effect achieved is very similar to two nurses reaching over a patient and inserting their hands, from opposite sides, under the patient.

In the past many arrangements have been supplied to the hospitals having as their purpose the use of some mechanical means to assist the nurses in handling heavy patients particularly. Those that have been studied, however, have all depended upon the passage of fabric slings and the like completely under the patient so that the end passed under could be brought up to some hook arrangement supported by'overhead means. For certain types of patients this arrangement is of course quite satisfactory. However, there are many times when such an arrangement is very difficult for the nurse to use especially in the case of a heavy patient and from the patients point of view many times in the case of fractures and the like the passage of a strap or sling under the patient, with the tendency to roll their flesh, has proven most unsatisfactory.

'Our present invention simulates to a marked degree the plan wherein a nurse may reach over a patient and then pass the hands, flat against the mattress, under the patient andthen lift them. Such procedure has been common where the patient is of a Weight or the nurse of sufficient strength so such a lift can be made. However, any such lift places the nurse at a great inconvenience because they are never directly over the patient but must lift with the center of weight of the patient considerably beyond the base position of the nurses feet and this greatly limits the weight that can be lifted in this manner. The plan of lifting is excellent and our equipment has used this general plan except employing a efl ifo mechanical means which can easily provide the strength and lift capabilities far in excess of any possible demand. A second type of lift that is currently being used to a degree is to have the patient on a special lift bed so that at all times the patient is in effect sleeping on a piece of fabric material which may be tightened by 'meohanical means and thus raise the patient for such purpose as the use of bed pans and the like. Such equipment is of limited utility however and the real need is to have means that will permit the raising of a patient on some of the various lift arrangements normally mounted on casters so that the patient can be lifted momentarily or for the period of bed making and the like entirely removed from the bed. It is, therefore, believed that we have supplied a solution of one of the perplexing problems that are being met in the various hospitals at all times. 7

Aprincipal object of our present invention is to provide a patient lift attachment for hospital hoists where- 'in thelift pads may be inserted one at a time if need be uiidera patient and then locked in the lifting position in order to give security to the patient and confidence on the patients part that there can be no' danger of them being dropped or the like.

A further object of this present invention is to provide mechanical means which will be similar in action to a lift made by a nurse using two hands, one on each side of the patient.

A further object of this present invention is to provide a lift arrangement in which a patient can be lifted and moved about in any reasonably conceivable manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide mechanical means, which when they engage a patient give the patient a sense of absolute security, which is actually real, and will prevent the patient having any fear of being so handled.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing our patient lift attachment in place on a hospital lift of conventional design and showing the relationship of this equipment to a standard hospital bed which is shown in dashed lines.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of a hospital bed with our equipment in place on a conventional lift.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of our lifting pads, of which normally four are used, with the cover partially opened up to show the general construction and With the supporting has shown in section.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the sup porting bar of our lift attachment andshowing the two lifting pads, with their actuating arms, in full lines in their lower and lifting position and in dashed lines in their upper or raised position.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, along the line 5-5 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the locking and supporting quadrant employed to position and lock or operatively support the actuating arms, one of which is in elevation, taken provided for each lifting pad. Certain parts are broken away and sectioned to better illustrate the construction.

Figure 7 is a perspective view, illustrating a preferred form of attaching our lifting bar to a conventional hosbars may be locked in position if desired by suitable locking screws 16. These telescopic bars are provided for insuring ease in longitudinally positioning the conventional type of slings 18 and 19 used to support the head and feet of the patient normally. If economy requires,

only one telescoping bar 12 is necessary if shifting of bar 10 in clamp 30 is not objectionable.

There are many forms of hospital hoists such as illustrated in this present case in Figures 1 and 2. These hoists of course are no part of this present invention but are a necessary adjunct to its use. Such hoists are characterized by a base bar as 20 adapted to pass under the bed and particularly to place the outboard casters as 22 well beyond the point of the patients greatest weight.

A bar 23 is secured to bar 20 and gives stability for the unit, longitudinally of the bed, as is best illustrated in Figure 1. To these bars which form a firm and movable base is secured the vertical post 24 and to this is hingedly secured a boom member 25. The boom is positioned 'and held in adjusted position by usually, a hydraulic lift arrangement shown at 2,6, and operated by lever 27. There are many other types of patient hoists and our attachment is normally usable with all these various hoists by suitable coupling means.

A coupling arrangement that has proven to be very "satisfactory is illustrated, in Figure 7 and partially illus' "boom 25 of the hoist to be placed at any convenient position. Fixedly secured to supporting or coupling members 34 and 35 is a fixed plate 38. Revolvably secured below plate 38 is a revolvable plate 40. Plates '38 and 40 are secured in revolvable position with respect to each other by means of a suitable bolt .42. Plate 4-0 has secured to its under surface a tubular member 45 adapted to conform with the shape and to support bar of our lift attachment. A locking screw 43 is provided to secure bar 10 in adjusted longitudinal position within tube 45.

Adapted to be slidably positioned upon bar 10 is our arm quadrant 44 arranged to support the actuating arms 46 in a lifting position by means of being pivoted at 48 and to rest upon substantial lug members 50 which are disposed at a point sufiiciently removed from pivot 48 so that they are not subject to unfair mechanical advantage.

In their upper or raised position, arms 46 are secured by means of the locking arrangement probably best shown in Figure 6 wherein a locking pawl member 52 isslidably disposed in a slot in arm 46 and urged by a compression spring 54, into the arcuate surface 55 and when the end of the locking lug as 56 is in position it drops into the locking notch 58 and is held in this notch by the compression spring 54. Arms 46 are pivoted at the center of generation of the arcuate surfaces 55.

Detachably secured to the lower ends of the actuating arms 46 are the lifting pads 60. These pads are preferably formed of metal and provided with an upstanding tubular socket member 62 adapted to slide over the end of the actuating bar and to be locked therein by pin 64 which pin in turn is provided with a pivoted toggle lock member 65 to provide absolute security against any dropping of the pad which might injure a patient. The metal pad support portion 66 is generously proportioned to give more than sufiicient strength for any possible use and to give a large area to support the patient. This lifting member, the outline of which is shown in Figure 3 is preferably covered with a generous padding of foam .rubber or the like, indicated at 68 and this in turn is covered with a detachable fabric covering 70. Normally a hook fastener arrangement 72 is preferred so that the covers can be very quickly changed in case they become soiled for any reason.

It will be apparent, it is believed, that any reasonable number of pads 60 might be employed. However, experience has indicated that if four of these lifting pads are employed, in cooperative pairs, after the showing of Figures 1, 2 and 4 that they can normally carry the load in a satisfactory manner and that the feet and head of the patient can be quite practically carried in the sling arrangements 18 and 19 as illustrated, which slings are normally provided with reinforcing bale members as 80, made to a degree after the form of a safety pin having a resilient lock as at 82 so that new fabric sling members 18 and 19 can be easily employed or one end maybe removed for passage under the patient. Members 80 are preferably supportedsfrom bars 12, and 14 by some flexible means as tapes or the chains illustrated at 84, chains often being preferable in that they are subject to being chrome plated and the like and can be easily maintained in a sterile condition.

Method of operation In using our hospital patient lift, the hoist member is put in place substantially at the longitudinal center of the patients weight and the cooperative pad assemblies as 86, and which assemblies are shown in greater detail in Figure 4, are adjusted longitudinally of the patient so as to give a firm, balanced lift on the torso at a point devoid of injury and at a point where the weight of the hips will be taken. When the assemblies are adjusted to these points, longitudinally of bar 10, then they are locked in position by the wing screws as 87 and 89 respec tively. The assemblies will appear as shown in dashed lines in Figure 4. At this stage of the lift and depending upon the type of injury or illness the pads may be individually placed or thecooperative pairs may be placed at substantially the same time one from each side of the patient and by the expedient of the nurse passing her hand under the patient and on top of the mattress as sort of a guide so that the thicker pads can be introduced without discomfort to the patient. In this manner the four pads as illustrated would be employed and as the point of greatest weight is substantially over members 20 and 23 of the lift the patient may be safely lifted and supported by the employment of the hospital hoist mechanism.

It ,is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of a hospital patient lift attachment.

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

1. A hospital patient lift attachment, comprising: a main lifting bar of deformed, tubular cross section; a telescopic bar slidably positioned by said lifting bar; a coupling means for slidably supporting said lifting bar from the boom of a hospital patient lift; arm quadrants positioned longitudinally of said lifting bar and on opp'osite sides of said coupling means; means to lock said arm quadrants in an adjusted position on said lifting bar; actuating arms each having two straight tangent portions disposed substantially at right angles to each other and in a common plane, joined by a curved portion; said arm quadrants each providing a pivot and a lower position locking stop means and an upper position locking stop means for a pair of said coacting actuating arms; said lower position locking stop means comprising a lug for supporting said arm in the using, lowered position; said upper position locking stop means comprising a notch; spring urged locking means on each arm adapted tocoact with said upper position locking stop means to lock said arm in the upper, raised position; each of said arms being pivoted on one of said pivots on the quadrant and each of the actuating arms having secured to the lower end of the arm, a lifting pad, comprising, a metal, pad support portion having an integral tube for coupling to said arm and adapted to be secured thereto by a toggle locked, through pin, a foam rubber pad covering the upper surface of said metal pad and a removable, cleanable cover completely enclosing the metal support portion and rubber pad.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said coupling means consists of a slidable clamp, having locking means to secure it to the boom of a patient lift; weight supporting bars pivoted to each side of said clamp and fixedly secured to a fixed plate, disposed below said clamp; a coacting, revolvable plate revolvably supported from said fixed plate, selective locking means for controlling rotative movement between said plates when the attachment is in use, a substantially horizontal tube fixedly secured to said revolvable plate and disposed to support and adjustably position said main lifting bar and means for locking said lifting bar in adjusted position within said tube.

3. A hospital patient lift attachment, comprising: a main lifting bar of tubular cross section; a slidable bar supported and positioned by said lifting bar; means for locking said slidable bar in its adjusted position relative to said lifting bar; a coupling means for slid-ably supporting said lifting bar from the boom of a hospital patient lift; arm quadrants adapted to be locked in adjusted position on said lifting bar and on opposite sides of said coupling means; said arm quadrants each providing a pivot and a two position locking means for a pair of coacting actuating arms; actuating arms pivotably secured to said arm quadrants and disposed to pivot in a plane normal to said main lifting bar; locking means on each arm adapted to lock said arms in the using, lower position, and the upper, raised position; each of said actuating arms being supported by its respective quadrant, each of the actuating arms having secured to the lower end of said arms, a patient lifting pad, comprising, a metal, pad support of paddle shaped outline having means for coupling 1 it to said arm and be secured thereto, in a horizontal plane when the pad is in its using position, a resilient pad covering the upper surface of said metal support and a removable eover for said metal support and said resilient pad.

4. An attachment for use with a hospital lift of the type having a base, a vertical standard, a boom pivoted to said standard and means for changing the elevation of the free end of the boom, comprising: a coupling arrangement having a clamp unit slidably mounted on said boom and means for securing said clamp in an adjusted position thereon; a fixed plate disposed below said clamp unit and pivotably supported therefrom by two weight supporting bars which are fixedly secured at their lower ends to said fixed plate; a revolvable plate disposed below said fixed plate, in contact with it and revolvably supported from the fixed plate by a single bolt; a tubular member having a flat side secured to the lower side of said revolvable plate; a tubular support bar, having a cross-section similar to said tubular member, slidably positioned in said tubular member and having means to lock it in adjusted position in said member; arm supporting quadrants slidably disposed on said support bar and having means to clamp said quadrants in adjusted positions; said quadrants having opposed arcuate surfaces having a locking notch at the upper limit of said surfaces and a fixed rest lug member at the lower limit of said arcuate surfaces; arms pivoted to said arm support quadrants on opposite sides of said bar and at the center of generation of said arcuate surfaces; a locking pawl member resiliently secured to each arm and spring biased against said arcuate surface and engageable with said notch to hold said arms in their upper position; said arms disposed to engage and rest on said lug members and be supported thereby in their lower and using position and lifting pads detachably secured to the lower ends of said arms and disposed in coacting pairs with their supporting pads inwardly directed toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,502 Jacobson Aug. 9, 1881 935,170 Smith a- Sept. 28, 1909 977,243 White Nov. 29, 1910 1,385,424 Billings July 26, 1921 2,620,198 Johnston Dec. 2, 1952 2,829,917 Wiora Apr. 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,721 Great Britain of 1902 775,907 France Oct. 22, 1934 809,840 France Dec. 19, 1936 511,977 Belgium June 30, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Casket and Sunnyside, article on the Stratton Hydro Crane, pages 6 and 7, Aug. 11, 1950. 

